Othman Abduljalil, Minister of Health in the Libyan government, issued a decision to form a health emergency committee to monitor cholera in the areas adjacent to the border with Sudan, particularly the city of Kufra, which will host the committee’s operations room.
This measure is part of an integrated response plan announced during an emergency meeting held by the minister on Tuesday at the ministry’s headquarters, attended by several officials from the health sectors and relevant authorities, as well as representatives of the World Health Organization and UNICEF in Benghazi.
The committee includes representatives from the Emergency Department, the National Center for Disease Control, and the Ministry of Water Resources, in addition to international bodies. It will be tasked with overseeing the implementation of preventive and therapeutic measures on the ground, strengthening early surveillance and detection systems, and ensuring a rapid response if any cases or epidemiological indicators are detected.
Sudan Suffers from Cholera
During the meeting, the Minister of Health reviewed the latest reports on the cholera outbreak in Sudan, particularly in the states neighboring the Libyan border, warning of the risk of the infection spreading into Libya due to continuous movement across land crossings.
Sudan is facing a worsening health crisis with rising cholera infection rates, amidst complex humanitarian and health conditions in a war-torn country.
According to Sudanese medical sources, the total number of cases since the outbreak began has risen to 8,173, including 346 deaths.
Strengthening Coordination with the World Health Organization
The minister stressed the importance of coordinating with the World Health Organization and UNICEF to train local health personnel in rapid response procedures, as well as to expedite the provision of therapeutic drugs, intravenous solutions, diagnostic tools, and vaccines for the disease.
Direct Communication with the General Command
Abduljalil also noted that the Ministry of Health is in direct communication with the General Command, which is closely monitoring developments and has made its resources available to support the health sector and enhance its readiness to face epidemiological challenges.
The minister also decided to dispatch a field team to the city of Kufra to assess the health situation on the ground and submit urgent recommendations to the relevant authorities for immediate adoption and implementation.